COOL AS A CUCUMBER

Cucumber is rich in various vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, magnesium, and silica. Vitamin E promotes healing and fortifies capillary walls. Silica helps to strengthen the body’s connective tissue, benefiting not only your skin, but also your hair, nails, and bones.  In fact, drinking cucumber juice on a regular basis hydrates your skin and supports your liver in cleansing.

Cucumber works well with all skin types, from oily to mature skin. Here are just some of the positive effects that cucumber has on your skin:

1. Hydrating: Since cucumbers mainly consist of water, they act as very good hydrating agents. After all, keeping your body hydrated is one of the most basic requirements for keeping your skin healthy.
2. Soothing: Cools and soothes inflammation associated with skin irritations, such as   sunburns and rashes.
3. Anti-Aging: Potassium and Vitamin E present in cucumber seeds aids in the reduction of wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots.
4. Cleansing: Cucumber is also a great cleanser, especially for oily and problem skin types.

Try at Home Recipe:

 

Cucumber Mask

Ingredients:

3oz cucumber, very finely diced

3 tsp olive oil

2 tsp plain yogurt

Directions:
Mix ingredients into a fine paste. Spread a thin layer onto face. Allow to dry for about 15 minutes. Wash off with cool water. Skin feels soft, conditioned and clean.

Professional Product Spotlight:

Try the Cucumber Hydration Toner from Skin Script™, only at Fresh Faced Skin Care.

10 BENEFITS OF DERMAFILE™

What is Dermafile?

Dermafile is a skin polishing and resurfacing tool made of stainless steel and finely crushed cosmetic diamonds. The file lightly polishes skin by removing the top layer of dead skin cells. What’s left behind is velvety smooth, fresh, rejuvenated skin.



How does the Dermafile Procedure Work?

The Dermafile procedure is administered in the same way as a microdermabrasion treatment. The Dermafile may be passed over the skin several times to ensure that each layer is removed evenly and the esthetician may choose to concentrate on a particular area that has a high level of skin pigmentation or skin irregularities. A chemical peel may be applied to enhance results. The entire procedure takes less than an hour. The procedure can be performed once a month to enhance results and promote rapid skin cell regeneration. Over time, the skin will begin to produce more collagen and appear more youthful, toned and soft.

What are the Benefits of Dermafile Exfoliation?

1.    Can be used on all skin types- even sensitive skin

2.    Builds collagen and smoothes fine lines.

3.    Improves sun damage and evens skin tone.

4.    Helps remove age spots.

5.    Treats enlarged and clogged pores.

6.    Smoothes away dead skin cells and rough, bumpy, dry patches of skin.

7.    Smoothes away acne scars and other types of facial scars.

8.    Makeup goes on smoother.

9.    Skin feels silky smooth and clean immediately.

10.  Dermafile is a safe and effective microdermabrasion alternative.

Where Can I Get the Dermafile Treatment?

Fresh Faced Skin Care in New Castle, Delaware performs advanced facial treatments using Dermafile. The March Special, Spring Cleaning Facial ($99), features Dermafile exfoliation. Offer good for a limited time only: March 1- March 31, 2012. Call 302-689-3223.

http://www.freshfacedskincare.com/

Does Sunscreen Truly Matter?

Is it really necessary to wear sunscreen every day? The answer is YES. We need to use sunscreen every day, rain or shine (and winter or summer), in order to protect our skin cells from ultraviolet (UV) exposure. UV rays can damage the skin and cause damage to your cell’s DNA, causing mutations to occur. These mutations can lead to cancer.

 We are exposed to two types of ultraviolet light on a daily basis: UVA and UVB. UVA has a longer wavelength and less energy that UVB. However, these rays exist during the day and night and play a significant role in aging. UVA rays have been associated with causing fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity and hyperpigmentation.  These rays can pass through glass (think your car window) and may be present in fluorescent lights (what’s that above your cubicle?). Prolonged exposure to UVA will damage your skin and will even show up years after the exposure takes place. UVB are the “burning” rays which are present during the day (even on cloudy days!).

So, what is the best sunscreen for protection? To answer this question, you need to be aware of the active ingredients in your sunscreen. For example, a sunscreen with both UVA/UVB protection which also includes antioxidants can help prevent future damage as well as assist the skin in repairing itself.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is the multiple of time it takes for your skin to burn. For example, if it normally takes you 10 minutes to burn, and you use an SPF 15, you should not burn for 150 minutes (10 x 15). Bear in mind that SPF only applies to UVB rays and not UVA rays. FDA has specific labeling requirements for UVA protection.

Some of the most common chemicals used in sunscreens are oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, and avobenzone. These chemicals work by absorbing UVB light. However, they can only absorb UVB light until they become saturated. Once they become saturated, they lose their ability to protect. This is why we have to reapply sunscreen often, especially after prolonged sun exposure or swimming. These chemicals are great for protection against UVB light, but cannot protect us from UVA light. Remember that UVA light penetrates deeper into the skin, affecting collagen, elastin, and DNA. So, what can protect us from UVA light?

Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide work as a sunscreen by reflecting the ultraviolet light, including UVA (think thick, white goop on a lifeguard’s nose). Micronized versions of Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are now used and can even be found in some makeup formulations. These “physical” sunscreens are inorganic and generally do not produce sensitivity reactions, as a chemical sunscreen might.

Do you think it is more effective to use an SPF 50 sunscreen rather than an SPF 30 sunscreen? The answer is- it depends. Most sunscreens with an SPF of 30 absorb about 94% of UVB light. Increase that SPF to 50, and you increase the protection to 99%. That sounds good, right? By increasing the absorption power to SPF 50, you are also increasing the amount of potentially irritating chemical ingredients by 50%. For those with sensitive skin, this increase in irritants may be more of a risk than the extra SPF protection provided.

The bottom line is- sunscreen does matter. Whether you use absorbers or reflectors, UVB or UVA protection, you actually have to use them for any of them to work! It also doesn’t hurt to limit your sun exposure.

Why a Chemical Peel?

Many of us are looking for a simple way to improve our skin without surgery. A chemical peel is a treatment used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin. This procedure uses a chemical solution, usually an acid, to dissolve away the upper layers of the skin in order to improve conditions such as acne, unwanted pigmentation or wrinkles. Chemical peels have been in use for a number of years and are a highly popular way to improve the texture and look of skin. Over half a million people have a session performed each year.

Typically with a chemical peel nothing actually "peels" off. During a chemical peel, the chemical solution is applied to the skin and is allowed to soak in. The solution works by destroying parts of the skin in a controlled way, causing new tissue to emerge. There are three basic types of peels that differ based on how deeply the chemical penetrates and what type of chemical solution is used:

1. Superficial Peels:  The mildest type of chemical peel. They can be used on all skin types. Superficial peels usually contain a mild acid, most often glycolic or lactic acid. There is little to no downtime with superficial peels.

2. Medium Peels: Penetrate the skin more deeply than superficial peels. Swelling and redness is common. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is the main peeling agent used for medium peels, though the peel may also be done in several steps using a different chemical solution followed by TCA.

3. Deep Peels: Penetrate several layers of skin and cause a second-degree burn of the skin. They are used only on the face. A chemical called phenol is usually used for a deep peel. Physicians perform these deep peels, with anesthesia being required. Deep peels may tend to bleach the skin (hypopigmentation) and healing generally takes several weeks. A deep peel can be done only once in most cases.

Fresh Faced Skin Care offers three superficial peels, providing dramatic and visible results with little to no downtime:

·         PCA Peel: Excellent for correcting acne and pigment discolorations.

·         Sensi Peel: A gentle solution that strengthens and brightens even the most sensitive skin types.

·         Ultra Peel: Exceptional for treating fine lines and wrinkles.

Fresh Faced Skin Care is the only place in the state of Delaware featuring PCA SKIN^® professional products. After two decades of leading the way in the clinical skin care industry, PCA SKIN remains the trusted healthcare leader in the development of gentle, yet highly effective professional treatments. Call 302-689-3223 or visit www.freshfacedskincare.com for more information.

Say Yes to Chocolate

Is chocolate good for your skin? According to a German study, the topical application of chocolate produced the following benefits:

·         25% reduction in UV light induced skin reddening

·         30% reduction in scaliness

·         16% increase in density

·         13% increase in moistness

·         11% increase in thickness

THE TOP 5 REASONS TO MAKE CHOCOLATE

A PART OF YOUR SKIN CARE:

1.    Chocolate contains cocoa butter, which is has skin softening and smoothing properties.

2.    The fibrous coating of the cocoa itself breaks down free radicals. This helps to prevent wrinkles by protecting your skin’s collagen and elastin.

3.    Dark chocolate contains a minimum of 35% cocoa, making it a powerful antioxidant.

4.    The magnesium found in cocoa produces progesterone, a hormone that counteracts stress-related breakouts.

5.    Chocolate also contains caffeine which revitalizes and tones the skin.

Fresh Faced Skin Care is featuring dark chocolate for the month of February. Call and ask for the Sweet Passion Facial. This powerful anti-aging facial includes passion fruit enzyme for exfoliation, followed by a dark chocolate mint mask.

For a limited time only: February 1- February 29, 2012. Call 302-689-3223.

www.freshfacedskincare.com

Professional Wins by Knockout

You get bombarded in department stores by attractive saleswomen, bright displays and awesome packaging as you walk through seeking skin care products. Why not take a look and hear the sales pitch? This 0.5 oz. jar of eye cream must work because it’s $90, right? Is there truly a difference between professional skin care products and the alternative, over-the-counter (OTC) skin care products?

Billion-dollar cosmetic companies manufacture OTC products containing all the latest ingredients such as antioxidants and alpha hydroxy acids, but will not disclose the percentages of such ingredients. This is because: 1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require OTC products to list product efficacy (i.e. percentages and/or pH) and 2. OTC products must be well tolerated for the average user. These products are designed to not cause irritation, even in the most sensitive of skin types.

Are the active ingredients in OTC products even effective (i.e. are they chirally correct)? Many companies manufacture OTC products with chirally incorrect ingredients because they are cheaper and easier to produce. Ingredients that are not chirally correct are one of the main reasons why certain skin care products do not deliver on the results that they claim. For more information regarding the importance of chirality, please read our blog post The Reality of Chirality, January 26, 2012.

Because OTC products are mass produced, thousands of a single cream can potentially sit in a warehouse for a year or more before it even reaches the retail shelf and eventually making it into the hands of the consumer. For the most part, the skin care products you purchase over-the-counter are aged, neutralized, and heavily preserved. Would you want to put that cream on your face? What if the cream was on sale for an unbeatable $20? Remember that OTC products include those sold in brick-and-mortar stores, the internet and on television. If anyone can purchase a product without a professional license, how do they know what they are getting or even how to use it?

This is where the professional esthetician plays an important role in helping to improve and/or clear up skin problems. Skin care specialists are knowledgeable about product ingredients and guide you to products that work with your skin type and particular skin problems. Salespeople generally don’t have access to scientific data on the product line they are selling nor do they know how ingredients will affect the skin while someone is taking medication, pregnant, have allergies or a health condition.

The health of your skin shouldn’t be taken lightly. Do your research before you invest in a skin care product and consult your licensed skin care specialist for more information.

The Reality of Chirality

All living things contain chiral molecules. The concept of chirality is this: molecules existing in two forms that are mirror images of each other. They are related but are not superimposable, just as your hands are. Chiral molecules are often described as being left-handed or right-handed. Chirality is very important in skin care when it comes to ingredient efficacy. Chirally correct ingredients are easily recognized by your body. Because of this, your cells can better absorb and utilize these ingredients.

Here are some examples:

Vitamin C:  Exists as L-ascorbic acid (L for levo meaning left) and D-ascorbic acid (D for dextro meaning right). D-ascorbic acid promotes drying, itching and burning. In fact, the D form of Vitamin C is used in turpentine and for recycling tires.

Vitamin E: D-alpha-tocopherol is the chirally correct form of Vitamin E. DL-alpha-tocopherol is a mixture of both right- and left-handed molecules. Some skin care companies use the DL form because it is cheaper and easier to produce. However, this form of Vitamin E is known to cause irritation. This is because the L form is not utilized by the body correctly and therefore does not produce the soothing property of the chirally correct D form.

So, what do these examples tell us? Basically, if an active ingredient is chirally correct, it will do the job it is intended to do. If the ingredient is not chirally correct, it won't work or may even do actual harm. Most importantly, ingredients that are not chirally correct are one of the main reasons why certain skin care products do not deliver on the results that they claim. For best results, use professional skin care products manufactured with chirally correct ingredients.